Concrete hoisting and placing apparatus



Feb. 1, 1966 c. E. ROUSE 3,232,460

CONCRETE HOIS'IING AND PLACING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I O

i IENTOR:

\, CHARLES E. HOUSE Feb. 1, 1966 c. E. ROUSE 3,232,460

CONCRETE HOISTING AND PLACING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 7. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTOR.

CHARLES E. ROUSE BY ATT'Ys United States Patent Florida Filed Jan. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 336,235 3 Claims. or. 214-77 This invention relates to concrete hoisting and placing apparatus which is particularly eifective in taking readyrnixed concrete from a truck mixer and hoisting the same for ultimate placement at locations such as lintels, pilasters, overhead slabs, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a hydraulicallyoperated boom carried by transit-mix trucks for the elevation and placement of concrete. A further object is to provide mechanism for moving a hopper carrying concrete to locations heretofore requiring placement by handlaborers or dragline-type equipment. Yet another object is to provide in combination with a transit concrete mix truck a boom and hopper structure which may be sup ported upon said truck for travel and which at a construction location may be readily moved into positions for receiving concrete from the mix truck and for emplacing the same at elevated locations. Yet another object is to provide improved braking means for controlling the load during deceleration and for accurate positioning of the load. A still further object is to provide a novel boom structure equipped with a telescoping section carrying a hopper for accurate and eiiicient placement of the hopper in the pouring operation. A still further object is to provide in combination with a hopper provided with a dispensing flexible sleeve and closure means therefor, a vibrator for causing low slump dry mixes to flow out of the hopper. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment by the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of apparatus combination embodying my invention; FIG. 2, a View similar to FIG. 1 but showing the hoist and hopper equipment in different positions; FIG. 3, an enlarged side view in elevation of the boom and hopper apparatus; FIG, 4, a broken top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5, a side view in elevation of the piston arrangement, the boom segments being shown in dotted lines; FIG. 6, a side view in elevation, the view being taken as indicated at line 6-6 of FIG. 3; and FIG. 7, a perpective view showing clamping means for controlling the flow of concrete through the dispensing sleeve.

In the illustration given, 10 designates a transit-mix truck equipped with a rotary mixer vessel 11 and having a discharge pipe indicated by the numeral 12. I prefer to equip the truck with a support rack 13 for supporting the segmental boom 14, as illustrated best in FIG. I. Since the transit concrete-mix truck is of well-known construction, it is believed unnecessary to describe the structure in detail.

In the practice of my invention, the truck 10 is provided at its rear and at one side thereof with a bracket support 15, as shown best in FIG. 3. Mounted upon the bracket 15 is a hollow base member 16 provided at its top with an apertured slew plate 17. Mounted within the base 16 is a motor 18 for driving a shaft 19 fixedlymounted within a collar 20. The collar 20 is fixed to a base plate 21 which is adapted to rotate upon slew ring 17, and plate 21 is equipped with a depending shoe 22 having an inwardly-projecting portion engaging the bottom of slew ring 17 and serving to produce a braking effect when the load is decelerated, as will be later described, and thus enabling very accurate positioning of the load.

3,232,460 Patented Feb. I, 1966 'ice Mounted upon plate 21 are triangular support members 23. A pivot pin 24 extends through the members 23 to support a main boom segment or member 25. Pivotally connected to the main boom by pins 26 is an intermediate boom member 27, and pivotally connected to the intermediate boom 27 by pin 28 is an outermost hollow boom segment 29. Telescopically received within the boom segment 29 is a hopper-supporting boom 30. The telescoped boom 30 is provided at its outer end with a bifurcated head 31 having socket members 31a receiving trunnion pins 32 carried by the hopper 33. The hopper 33 may be provided with spaced rings 34 and 35 which provide convenient handles for manipulating the hopper.

The hopper 33 may be provided on its inner side with a tubular flexible liner 36 having a downwardly-projecting portion forming a discharge sleeve 37. Any suitable means may be employed for clamping the dispensing sleeve 37 together so as to seal oil flow therethrough. In the specific structure shown in detail in FIGS. 6 and 7, pins 38 extend through the lower end of the hopper, and at their ends are provided with sector teeth 69. Secured to the pins are outwardly-extending members 40 equipped with downwardlyand forwardly-extending bars 41. The bars 41 which extend below the hopper 33 are each equipped with transverse gripper rods 42. A spring 43 normally draws bars 41 toward each other to bring the rods 42 into tight engagement with the sleeve 37 so as to seal the sleeve against the flow of material therein. Handle bars 44 are provided for separating the gripper rods 42 so as to open the sleeve 37, the sector teeth 39 enabling the opening of the sleeve to be accomplished by moving only One of the handles 44,

A vibrator 45, as shown best in FIG. 6, is supported by the lower end of the hopper so as to vibrate the concrete material to provide a discharge of low slump dry concrete mixes. The vibrator may be a hydraulically-actuated vibrator or electrically-operated vibrator equipped with the usual eccentric rotating parts, and since such structures are well known, a further detailed description herein is believed unnecessary.

Any suitable power mechanism may be provided for actuating the boom segments. In the specific illustration given, a hydraulic cylinder 46 is pivotally connected to pin 47 carried by the member 23, as shown best in FIG. 3, and the piston therein is equipped with a rod 48 engaging pin 49 carried by the bracket 50. Similarly, cylinder 51 is connected by pin 52 to the boom segment 25, and the piston rod 53 thereof is connected to pin 28. A cylinder 54 is connected on one side to pin 55 carried by bracket 56 on the intermediate boom segment 27, and the piston rod 57 thereof is connected to pivot 28 carried by bracket 59 mounted on the boom segment 29. A long cylinder 60 is pivotally mounted at one end on pin 28, and the piston rod 61 thereof is connected to pivot pin 62 carried by the sliding or telescoping boom 30.

The various pistons are hydraulically operated as double-acting hydraulic cylinders, the pump and flexible tubes leading to the cylinders not being shown in the drawings since they are of well-known construction.

Operation In the operation of the apparatus, the hydraulic fluid is fed to the various pistons to manipulate the segments of the boom 14 in the manner illustrated best in FIGS. 1 and 2. By locating the base 16 at one side of the rear side of truck 10, it is possible to rotate the boom 14 while the main boom segment 25 is in a slightly raised position to the carrying position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. In this position, the boom segment 29 rests upon the bracket support13 and the hopper 33 is suspended above the truck. At the point of construction, the boom 14 is raised slightly :and then swung rear- Wardly to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, with the hopper 33 below the discharge pipe 12 of the mixer vessel. When the hopper is filled to the desired extent, it is elevated, the discharge sleeve 37 being held in closed position by the rods 42 actuated by spring 43. The boom may then be raised to the desired point for pouring, as, for example, over a lintel, pilaster, etc, and the operator by moving the handle 44 can release the concrete through the discharge sleeve 37. In the latter operation, the vibrator 45 is effective in causing low slump dry mixes to flow out of the hopper.

In the foregoing operation, the sliding boom 30 is very effective in the placement of the hopper prior to pouring. It enables the hopper to be lifted adjacent a wall carrying the lintels, etc., and then when the top of the wall is cleared, the boom 30 can be readily extended over the location where the concrete is to be poured. The telescoping structure enables accurate placement of the hopper to be made in a minimum of time. As a further aid in controlling the hopper movement, particularly during deceleration of the load, the shoe 22 carried by plate 21 and extending below slew plate .17 produces a braking effect so as to enable ac; curate positioning of the load. The pivotal support of the hopper on the bifurcated member 31 permits the operator to manually swing the hopper and the reduced extension 33a in the placing of the concrete discharged. In other words, the operator can swing the hopper toward and away from him and also can swing the same laterally through a limited range, with plate 21 rotating upon slew plate 17.

With the foregoing apparatus, it is found that a single operator for the truck and mixing vessel who also operates the power cylinders for the boom, and with a single operator for the hopper at an elevated position in the construction area, can together carry on a complete concrete mixing and pouring operation with substantial saving in time and expense and while pouring a relatively low slump concrete.

In the preferred form of my invention, the segmental boom is carried by a base founded on the transit concrete-mixer truck for cooperation therewith in the filling and placing of the hopper; however, it will be understood that the base support for the boom may be carried by other vehicles or fixed structures for utilizing many of the novel inventive features described herein.

While in the foregoing specification I have shown specific apparatus in a considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating my invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a transit concrete-mix truck equipped with a discharge pipe, a hollow base carried by said truck, a boom support rotatably mounted in said base, a segmental boom carried by said support and having the segments thereof pivotally connected, a sliding boom telescopically engaging an outer segment of said segmental boom, said sliding boom having a bifurcated head, a hopper having trunnions received within the bifurcated head of said sliding boom for swinging movement thereon, said hopper having a reduced lower end, a flexible tubular member in said hopper having a reduced sleeve extension passing through the reduced lower end of said hopper to form a discharge sleeve, spring-urged gripper means carried by said hopper for normally gripping said sleeve to close the same, and handle means carried by said last-mentioned means for opening said sleeve to permit discharge therethrough.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which a vibnator is supported by said hopper adjacent the bottom thereof.

3. In combination with a transit concrete-mix truck equipped with a discharge pipe and provided with a base, a boom support rotatably mounted in said base, a segmental boom carried by said support and having the segments thereof pivotallly connected, a sliding boom telescopically engaging an outer segment of said segmental boom, said sliding boom having a bifurcated head, a hopper having trunnions received within the bifurcated head of said sliding boom for swinging movement thereon, said hopper having a reduced lower end, a flexible tubular member in said hopper having a reduced sleeve extension passing through the lower end of said hopper to form a discharge sleeve, gripper means carried by said hopper for normally gripping said sleeve to close the same, and handle means carried by said lastment-ioned means for opening said sleeve to permit discharge therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,248 5/1953 Alvord 214-17 X 2,681,751 6/1-954 Stone .612 all. 222-2 14 X 2,786,723 3/1957 I-Iarsch 214 130 X 2,926,796 3/1960 Martinson 2147 8 X 2,963,258 12/ 19.60 Stambera 22 2.2 l4 X GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TRANSIT CONCRETE-MIX TRUCK EQUIPPED WITH A DISCHARGE PIPE, A HOLLOW BASE CARRIED BY SAID TRUCK, A BOOM SUPPORT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BASE, A SEGMENTAL BOOM CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING THE SEGMENTS THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED, A SLIDING BOOM TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGING AN OUTER SEGMENT OF SAID SEGMENTAL BOOM, SAID SLIDING BOOM HAVING A BIFURCATED HEAD, A HOPPER HAVING TRUNNIONS RECEIVED WITHIN THE BIFURCATED HEAD OF SAID SLIDING BOOM FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREON, SAID HOPPER HAVING A REDUCED LOWER END, A FLEXIBLE TUBULAR MEMBER IN SAID HOPPER HAVING A REDUCED SLEEVE EXTENSION PASSING THROUGH THE REDUCED LOWER END OF SAID HOPPER TO FORM A DISCHARGE SLEEVE, SPRING-URGED GRIPPER MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOPPER FOR NORMALLY GRIPPING SAID SLEEVE TO CLOSE THE SAME, AND HANDLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS FOR OPENING SAID SLEEVE TO PERMIT DISCHARGE THERETHROUGH. 